After an internet leak of the latest trailer, Assassin’s Creed 4 Black Flag has officially been announced by development studio Ubisoft. The studio has been known to release a new Assassin’s Creed title annually, so the leaked trailer really comes as no surprise.

Edward Kenway, the captain of the pirate ship The Jackdaw (image: Ubisoft)

Players will assume the role of Edward Kenway, the captain of the pirate ship The Jackdaw, and will be on the hunt of the familiar and notorious Templars. If the last name sounds familiar, it is because Edward is the grandfather to AC3 protagonist Connor Kenway.

The series introduced a loose-form of naval combat during short sections of AC3, but apparently AC4 will take that one step further by giving players the opportunity to embark on open-world naval combat – which will be a major focus of the new game.

The Assassin’s Creed franchise has made it their trademark where player assume the roles of two different characters: that of the game’s various protagonists, and Desmond Miles (who enters the memories of his ancestors – in this case the protagonists – to rid the world of the evil Templars).

But according to Engadget, Desmond’s days are numbered. “(The franchise) lead Desmond through a variety of eras in previous games, ending with the American Revolution in Assassin’s Creed 3. It’s safe to say that Desmond isn’t joining the cast in Black Flag; rather, you’re simply a modern day Templar searching for more secrets about the enemy.”

In an official announcement, Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer at Ubisoft said “With the new hero and new setting we are creating the boldest and most unique Assassin’s Creed game yet, while still respecting the pillars of the franchise that have made it such a fan favourite. Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag is based on a true, harsh and exciting part of a legendary era and will thrill longtime fans and newcomers alike.”

Set at the dawn of the 18th Century, the game will feature some of the most infamous pirates in history, such as Blackbeard (whose real name incidentally is also Edward) and Charles Vane, and takes players on a journey throughout the West Indies during a turbulent and violent period of time later to become known as the Golden Age of Pirates.

As mentioned, the title will be open-world, so it will allow players to sail to more than 50 navigable locations and will make use of Assassin’s Order weaponry as well as era-specific weapons.

The game is set for release on 29 October on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox360 and other next generation consoles.